This invention relates to a cover assembly for a bowling lane ball return channel, and to the combination of the cover assembly with adjacent gutters.
Bowling balls returning to the front end of the lanes are purposely out of sight to prevent visual disruption of the game and for other reasons. The ball return track is thus covered with a housing and cover of some sort. However, there are times when access to the ball return track becomes necessary, e.g., for maintenance or to retrieve an errant ball that for some reason does not return completely and thus causes a blockade for subsequent balls, or other reasons. Access should not be so easy as to allow unauthorized persons to enter the ball return track, but should be readily accomplished by authorized and knowledgeable personnel. Further, the cover should be visually attractive since the large number of such covers and their considerable length makes them a substantial portion of the visual panorama of the bowling establishment.
Adjacent the ball return channel and astraddle thereof is a pair of gutters that serve adjacent bowling lanes. As is known, these gutters receive errant balls that depart the lane during bowling. Typically, these gutters are constructed separate from the ball return channel structure.
An object of this invention is to provide a unique bowling ball return channel cover assembly that enables ready access to the underlying ball return track by authorized and knowledgeable personnel, and that is pleasingly attractive. The assembly is composed of 1) a plurality of ball return anchor plates, preferably polymeric, of a width greater than the ball return channel, with upwardly extending, laterally spaced parallel anchor protrusions, and gutter locking lateral edges, and 2) a dress cover having a pair of depending fastener legs interlockable with the noted anchor protrusions, side walls that encompass the underlying plates, and contrasting color stripes for decorative purposes.
Another object is to provide a combination of ball return channel cover anchor plates and gutters wherein these are interconnected in a fashion enabling the securement of the gutter edge by the anchor plates when fastened to the return channel walls. The outer gutter edge interfits with the anchor plates by a rib and groove arrangement. Thus, the anchor plates serve at least a dual function.
Another object is to provide gutters which are assembled in segments interconnected end to end by sliding connectors.